That will be the last victory of Rafa for quite some time.. With his joke mentality and pathetic game, I hope the disgusting player loses every single match next season. He's disgraceful. He should just retire. He's a joke.

I don't mean to sound derisive, but this is the sort of question a six-year old might ask. This question is still at least...interesting, so it's immediately better than 70% of the questions found in threads.

I agree with one of the earlier posters--someone has to retire first. The match ends at that moment. I would think it would be collusive (and presumably improper) if the players agreed to retire simultaneously.

If both players are defaulted or withdraw prior to a match in the first round, their places are taken by lucky losers (players who have lost in qualifying but who have signed in that morning and who are on 15 minute call to play). In doubles without qualies, ALTernates (players who signed in on the entry sheet but who did not make the cut but who also have to sign in the morning of play).

In a later round, the match is voided and the opponent in the next round is given a walk over. The only time this not come into play is in a 48 or 96 player draw and
it is possible for a lucky loser to go straight into the second round and collect second round prize money but no points if they lose the match.

I am almost certain there have been instances of a player winning a later stage match due to the retirement of his opponent and the "wimming" player withdrawing injured and giving his next opponent a walk over.

The flipside to all this are the many instances in the past of doubles teams not having a good relationship with their opponents and both teams trying to tank (usually to get catch the same flight!) with hilarious results.